The U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Friday it had pulled its last remaining inspectors from Iran as a standoff over their return to the country's nuclear facilities bombed by the United States and Israel deepens.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Friday its inspectors have departed Tehran and arrived safely to Vienna after Iran suspended cooperation in the wake of attacks on its nuclear program by Israel and the United States.

Tehran seems defiant on its nuclear ambitions despite the recent war. The nuclear program, launched with US help during the Shah era, was always a show of strength. Now, it also symbolizes the regime's resilience.